Ghosts pots

[sdexcalibur]

Went diving this week end. Now it being like my 7th dive I'm new to all this stuff down here. Like the lobster pot I came across. The top was covered in seaweed and looked like it's been down their quite awhile. Is their a way to tell if they been abandoned.

 

[Bob3]

If the trap has no line & buoy, it's a "ghost trap".
Traps with growth are called "seasoned", and the critters generally trust seasoned traps over new ones.
Ghost traps still remain the property of the original owner & you can get into some serious trouble for messing with anyone's traps.
Sea turtles have been known to tear the doors or slats off ghost traps though...

 

[MSilvia]

Massachusetts laws

It is illegal for anyone, except the owner, to handle, destroy or molest any lobster or crab pot or other fishing gear, including any gear swept upon the shore, beaches or flats whether public or private, or to take fish therefrom.

 

[mndolphin]

Molest????

 

[MSilvia]

but I've seen some silt-kicker do things to a trap that would be hard to describe as anything else. I almost thought he was trying to wrestle it, but if so he was losing.

 

[Uncle Pug]

...I say render them inoperative... ie. destroy them... just don't molest them.

 

[MSilvia]

Mass laws require "escape hatches", so you don't get many ghost pots retaining bugs.

This jerk was just trying to pull it out of the silt. For what reason, I have no idea. It made it awfully difficult to find lobsters.